Easy Odor Removal Tactics for a Smelly House

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When homeowners sell their property and move out, they sometimes leave behind lingering odors in the air and carpets. If you’ve just moved in to find an odor you hadn’t noticed before, don’t panic. There are plenty of ways find the source and eliminate smells.

Easy odor removal

Light odors from a refrigerator that wasn’t properly cleaned or a trash bag that hung around too long are easy to combat.

First, remove the offending source, if it’s still around. (Be sure to check the back of the pantry and cabinets for hidden leftover foodstuffs.) After you’ve cleaned the area, neutralize the odor with these common odor-removal items:

• Baking soda: Open a container and place it in the area where the smell originated.
• Coffee grounds: Put used coffee grounds in shallow bowls and place around your house. The coffee grounds will absorb and eliminate smells.
• White vinegar: Bowls of white vinegar can act as an odor neutralizer.
• Apple cider vinegar: If the sink has an odor, it is likely to be coming from the drain. Pouring apple cider vinegar down the drain will eliminate the smell.

Smoke and nicotine

If the previous homeowner was a heavy smoker, the nicotine may have left stains, as well as an awful odor. Nicotine smell can linger in the air and carpet long after the last cigarette was stubbed out.

Try to remove the odor first by washing the walls and windows. Wait a day or two before giving it the all-clear, as the smell may return. If stains are stubborn, consider a heavy-duty cleaner like trisodium phosphate to eliminate them.

For persistent odors, you might want to use an odor-blocking primer and sealant, like Kilz, to repaint your walls. Dry-clean curtains and other upholstery around the house to clean the air.

If your house came furnished, you may want to consider tossing out some of that furniture, especially the upholstered pieces.

Pet smells

If lots of pet hair was left behind, you probably want to consider buying a vacuum or an attachment for picking up pet hair and to remove the smell.

Before you vacuum, sprinkle a layer of baking soda on the carpet and let it stand for a few minutes. It will help neutralize odors.

If you have pets of your own, brush them every day for about five minutes, to cut down on both loose hair and pet smells.

Not so fresh? Clean the ducts

If your house smells musty, check the air ducts and look for evidence of mold and other harmful bacteria. If you can’t determine whether it’s mold, you can have a sample analyzed by a microbiology testing center for about $50, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The extra precaution could be worth it, since a duct cleaning could cost between $450 and $1,000, according to the EPA.

If you don’t think your ducts need a cleaning, trap stinky bacteria by replacing the filters.

Rotten-egg smell

Unless someone actually left rotten eggs or garbage around, the smell of rotten eggs is likely to indicate a gas leak. Leave your home and call a professional as soon as possible.

Last resorts for odor removal

If you just can’t get the smell out, you’ll have to take more drastic action.

• Remove and clean or tear up and replace the carpets.
• Repaint walls in rooms where the odor is strongest.
• Hire a professional cleaning crew.

If you’re considering a cleaning device like an ozone machine, rent the product rather than buying one yourself.

Since you’ll probably only get one use out of it—and many devices don’t work as well as we’d like them to—it makes more sense to rent than own.

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